1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of computing technology and more particularly concerns optimization of server resources and data storage by enabling server access to operating system data from storage devices over a network using internet protocol and block data transfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art of networking computers has evolved over the years to bring computer users a rich communication and data sharing experience. Typically, in a network, numerous devices may be connected to a computer or a server to maximize computing power and efficiency. As is well known, new levels of sophisticated communication technologies enable users to share information across both large and small networks. In computer technology, computers may intercommunicate through data transmission using a network connecting numerous computers. For example, in a typical network system, a computer system may include a server connected to peripheral devices such as, for example, storage devices which are interconnected by data buses over a network.
To access and control certain types of peripheral devices connected to a network system, the server generally utilizes host adapter cards (or controllers) attached to the server's backplane. These controllers serve to coordinate and manage the data communication to and from the peripheral devices through the network. Controllers may be in the form of a video display adapter, an integrated drive electronics (IDE) controller, a small computer system interface (SCSI) controller, or other similar cards or chips which control peripheral devices. Such controllers may communicate with the peripheral devices through use of a bus connecting the server with the peripheral devices over a network.
FIG. 1A shows a typical computer network system 10, in accordance with the prior art. In this example, the system 10 includes servers 14, 16, and 18 connected with a network 12. In a typical network, the network 12 is an Ethernet network which utilizes a file based data transfer protocol. The servers 14, 16, and 18 include network interface cards (NIC) 32, 34, and 36 which are connected with NICs 26, 28, and 30 of the network 12. The network 12 is also connected with a hub 16 which itself is connected with terminals 20, 22, and 24. In one example, when multiple servers such as the servers 14, 16, and 18 are operating on the network 12, all of the servers 14, 16, and 18 boot and utilize an operating system. Consequently, all of the servers 14, 16, and 18 must be able to run boot up operations of some kind of operating system such as, for example, Windows 2000. Therefore, the servers 14, 16, and 18 may, in one example, have storage devices such as disk drives that may store the operating system for use by a particular server. In a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) configuration, the operating system for each of the servers 14, 16, 18 would need at least two storage devices included within the server in this type of implementation. Therefore, as more servers are connected with the network 12, more resources are required to run an operating system on all of the servers. For example, if 60 servers were connected to the network 12, then at least 120 disk drives may be necessary if RAID is run on all of the servers. Therefore, extensive amounts of resources might be used that may be extremely costly for a user.
FIG. 1B shows an example of a network system 40 which utilizes a preboot execution environment (PXE) configured as an Ethernet based system allowing servers to boot from storage devices on a network, in accordance with the prior art. Because PXE is utilized, the data transfer protocol utilized is a filed based transfer. Therefore, files needed for boot up operations may be transferred from a storage device to the server being utilized for boot up. The system 40, in this example, includes servers 14, 16, and 18 connected to the network 12 which in turn is connected through NIC 24 to bootable drives 38. In such as example, each of the servers 14, 16, and 18 typically boots up using operating system data received from the bootable drives 38. Unfortunately, the system 40 can only utilize file based data transfer and does not have the flexibility to utilize other data transfer protocols. Therefore, if data storage systems which do not use file based data transfer (e.g., internet SCSI (iSCSI)) are utilized, there is no defined protocol to enable boot up of those servers using data stored on storage devices on the network.
In view of the foregoing, a method is needed for optimizing data transmission such that servers can more efficiently boot from remote storage devices. The method should ensure proper initialization of the servers and allow for improved data storage efficiency.